


i'm way too young to lie here forever

by justt_ppeachy



Series: go out with a bang (atla au) [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: A little bit of violence, Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Avatar the Last Airbender AU, Peter Parker is a Little Shit, Peter Parker is a Mess, Time Skips, Tony Stark Has A Heart, but he is trying his best, if any one ships my two main characters then i will be stealing your toes, thats both a threat and a promise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:46:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25335598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justt_ppeachy/pseuds/justt_ppeachy
Summary: Peter pries the window open and slips out the second he gets the chance. His feet hit the ground with a muffled thud and relishes in the way the dirt feels under him. Relief overflows in his chest as he stands beneath his window for only a moment, taking in his element to the fullest extent.Sure, not being able to see out of his eyes can suck, but that’s not the only way to see. At least, not for an earthbender it isn’t.OR: the atla au that no one wanted
Relationships: Michelle Jones & Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe) & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Peter Parker & Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe) & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: go out with a bang (atla au) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1834927
Comments: 17
Kudos: 47





	1. one

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good morning and welcome a mediocre fic that may not be the best thing you’ve ever read but don’t be fooled i worked pretty hard on it
> 
> okay, so this chapter is basically just a chapter to introduce and set up tony and peters characters as a whole. that’s why it’s kinda all over the place but i needed to set them up as individual characters and their relationship before we actually start the story.

Waking up was always easy for Peter Parker. 

No matter how late he stays out, how much training he does, or how many opponents he fights, waking up to servants specifically hired to help him take care of himself— or rather they do everything for him because his parents think he’s too delicate and fragile to lift a damn finger— makes life pretty easy.

Despite his parents' total lack of confidence in him, being blind has its perks sometimes. 

So, he uses it to his advantage. Staying half asleep in the mornings, allowing the unnecessary hired help decide what he is to wear and how he is to be presented that day. He closes his eyes, reminding himself that this isn’t all he will ever be. Someday, he won’t be confined to these four walls with a watchful eye always upon him. Someday, he’ll be able to do as he pleases without fearing someone will see him. 

And boy, he can’t wait for that day to come.

But for now, he does wait. He acts as the perfect, obedient son his parents always wanted. But when the sun falls and the world becomes surrounded in darkness, for a couple of hours, he is free to be the person he is. 

So, Peter pries the window open and slips out the second he gets the chance. His feet hit the ground with a muffled thud and relishes in the way the dirt feels under him. Relief overflows in his chest as he stands beneath his window for only a moment, taking in his element to the fullest extent. 

Sure, not being able to see out of his eyes can suck, but that’s not the only way to see. At least, not for an earthbender it isn’t.

Peter's face curves into a beaming smile for the first time that day before he takes off running towards his freedom. 

Toward the life he wishes was the only one he knows.

And he doesn’t look back. 

~

The market in Gaoling has always been a safe space for Peter. 

It was loud and bright as people roamed the streets around him, more interested in spending the coins in their purse than noticing the faces beside them. No one gave the boy a second glance as he sidestepped around them but he still deliberately ducks his head away from the lights emitting from the stores lining the street. He can’t take any chances in any of the few people his parents have ever allowed him to meet recognizing him as he roams the street. Being found out would mean giving up leaving his house every night which is something he can’t do if he desires to stay sane.

So he was careful to not bring any unwanted attention to himself as he made his way through the market.

He remembers the last time he got caught leaving his home. It was the last time he ran away and he intentionally wanted to be found out once his mother set specific times he was allowed to leave his room after he accidentally bumped into the cabinet and broke a few plates. He was still mastering earthbending at the time so it’s understandable he’d make a mistake like that. His mother had freaked out after that little incident which resulted in him having a set schedule at nine years old. He was only gone for two days but it was enough to convince his parents to back off with the rules. They did, however, hire three more guards to protect and watch over their fragile little son but at least they weren’t there to stop him from going where he pleases inside his own home so it evens out. 

It has been a couple of years since he last ran away. Maybe he should do it again sometime. 

Peter shrugs the memory away, rather focusing on making his way slowly down the road. He maps his surroundings in his head, noting where everything stands, mainly focusing on immobile objects that surround him. Pushing his feet into the ground, he feels the pressure on the earth, deteriorating the ground beneath them little by little each year they stay standing. 

The people that stroll past him are a little harder to sense. There one minute and gone the next, leaving behind only a slight vibration that moves its way through the earth for a moment before it disappears. He feels their heartbeats travel through their bodies and pulses against the dirt floor for him to read and remember even if this is the only time he hears them. By now, he recognized quite a few heartbeats amongst the crowd, but no one in the market specifically stuck out to him. He doesn’t clearly recognize anyone by the amount of pressure they step onto the earth with or their individual pulses. 

It’s nice, he decides. To be able to roam the market with no one fretting over him like a helpless child or even recognizing him. 

Of course, not many people are aware he is Mary and Richard Parker’s son. Despite how well known they are around the Earth Kingdom. his parents didn’t advocate having a blind son regularly. 

While his parents weren’t ashamed of him, they weren’t exactly proud to have him as a son either. God forbid someone discovers the high-class citizens among then have such a weakness in the family. 

Got his parents, the moment they discovered he was blind, their world came crashing down. His mother sobbed for weeks while his father searched for any physician, begging for anything to be done to bring his poor blind son eyesight.

But for Peter, it has never been a bad thing.

He sees the world around him with his feet, relishing in the way the ground felt beneath him as it sings with every vibration. He hears the noises and listens to what they have to say with no hesitation. He appreciates the earth in ways that even some benders don’t seem to understand.

But they could never really understand, now could they?

Shaking his head, Peter pushes himself back into the light of reality before coming to a stop in front of the place he spends most of his evenings.

The shop has always been a safe place for him ever since he first hid in there, terrified of being caught when he realized one of the girls who works in his house was walking right beside him. It was an awkward first meeting, to say the least, but Tony didn’t shy away or treat him like some incapable child so he stayed. 

He comes back every single night before he goes and practices his earthbending or to an Earth Rumble if there’s one that night. It’s nice, to say the least. 

So Peter walks through the already propped open doors with a smile already making its home on his face and breathes in the comforting smell of wood and the smell of black tea. 

“How’s my favorite freeloader?” A voice rang out to which Peter turned towards. 

This was what he waited all day for. The weight that sat on his shoulders disappeared with his first breath inside the shop. The little shop on the corner felt more like a home than his actual house ever did. 

It was odd but he didn’t really mind. 

“I’m pretty sure I’m your only freeloader,” Peter snarks, plucking the parchment wrapped piece of candy out of the basket near the front. 

He could practically feel Tony rolling his eyes as he sits on top of the table, allowing his toes to brush the floor as he swings his legs back and forth. 

“Then it sure would be a shame if you weren’t my favorite, now wouldn’t it short-stack.” 

Peter scrunches his nose as he spins to face Tony. “Just for that, I’m taking another one,” He says, grabbing another candy. 

“Why does it feel like you only continue to come back for those chocolates?” Tony asked, snagging one out of the basket for himself. 

“ ‘Cause it's true.” Peter smiles up at him before stuffing another one in his mouth. 

The first time he came into his shop, Tony refused to allow Peter to pay for the couple of candies he eats, but Peter still slips a coin or two into the register every night before he leaves. It’s his parent money anyway so paying doesn’t really bother him that much. 

“Just for that, I’m cutting you off, you little menace,” Tony says, grabbing the basket and taking it to the back room. “I’ll have to tell Peggy the whole reason her niece can no longer sell her candies here is because you can’t treat your elders with respect.” 

“Oh, so you admit that you’re old?” He calls out, mirth lacing his voice. 

“Now that’s just hurtful,” Tony barks out a laugh and reaches over to ruffle Peter's hair after he pushes the hood off of his head. 

Yeah, this felt right. 

~

Tony’s day had been rather boring before Peter showed up for the first time. 

After finally finishing the intricate wooden tea set a nobleman had requested as a gift for his daughter, the day went from mediocre to downright dreadful. For the rest of the day, very few people browsed the trinkets he made himself lining the shelves in his shop and even fewer bought anything. 

And while most days aren’t like this, he can’t help but want to close up shop early and go home. Before he met Peter, that was exactly what he would do. 

That is until some kid with clothes so expensive that the cost could buy most of the items in his store ran in and threw himself behind the shelf closest to the door. He remembers watching as the boy gripped the side of the shelf as he shifted his weight so his bare feet pressed flat on the ground as if to keep him steady and not draw more attention to himself than he already has.

Well, at least things are finally getting interesting. 

Peter returned every day after that. Whether it was only for a couple of minutes or a couple of hours, Peter always found his way into his little shop on the corner of the market, always after dark and never buying anything more than the candies sitting in baskets at the front. 

Peter was odd, to say the least. His cloudy eyes that he attempts to covers with his hair indicate some sort of seeing impairment despite how he roams the shop with such ease and grace. He always bounces around the room, running his hands against the figures that line the shelves and the designs burned into wooden furniture as he talks about anything and everything. But whenever someone enters his shop, it all stops. Peter’s on edge, almost as if he may be caught doing something he shouldn’t be doing. He notices how he always ducks his head, turning away from the customer or he pulls the hood on the cloak he always wears back around his head. Which was peculiar.

Tony decided everything about this situation was odd.

But he still found himself looking forward to visits, never noticing how lonely he truly was until Peter showed up. Every single time he enters his shop, he brings with him memories Tony was sure died along with his mother and father. Instincts resurfaced that he hasn’t felt since his little brother turned cold and his baby sister came only to view the evil in the world with burning hands and charred flesh. 

He pulls away from thoughts of his family he left behind as he buries the guilt he feels for leaving not only his nation but his siblings in the hands of a monster. But his younger siblings wouldn’t leave with him, already poisoned by their hate and anger to see how dangerous their home became in the hands of their uncle. 

So, he escaped with a plan that failed faster than expected and hoped his prayers to Agni would keep him from succumbing to the darkness growing and threatening to overcome his entire being. 

Leaving wasn’t the worst choice he ever made but the regret of not fighting harder for his nation and for his brother and sister claws at his chest no matter how many times he tells himself how necessary his departure was. 

As he sits with a boy who reminded him too much of the things he left behind, it reopens a wound he thought was only a scar. He realizes Peter was kind like his brother once was and held the same stubbornness as his sister. Every moment with him is like seeing his siblings once again but no matter how much it hurts, he doesn’t have it in him to push Peter away. 

So he holds on instead, embarrassing the nightly visits as he suspects Peter needs them just as much as he does. 

Tony doesn’t know a lot about Peter’s home life. He strays away from any mention of his parents and has only ever said that they are controlling but Peter thinks they have his best interest at heart. 

It doesn’t change the sad look in his eyes every time his parents are mentioned, almost longing for something he will never have.

As much as he wishes he could countine to pry, Tony is well aware that nothing good will ever come of it. So he waits for Peter to open up, never pushing him too hard to talk. 

He’s not good with the emotional stuff anyway, so maybe this is just better.

 _It's better this way,_ he keeps telling himself. 

~

Glancing up at the Parker Residence after knocking on the door, he can’t help but think that this may not be the best idea he’s ever had. 

House calls aren’t his thing and normally he’d deny anyone who even asked for one, but this time something was different. He wasn’t sure exactly what it was but he was sure it wasn’t the money Richard Parker was offering. Though that was an added bonus, it wasn’t what persuaded him to go.

And he swears by Agni’s name if this isn’t worth it, then he doesn’t know what he’s going to do. 

So as the door swings open, he clutches the bag of tools closer to his body as he wonders if it’s really worth it to be here. 

“Ah, Mr. Stark,” Richard Parker greets him from his place at the door. 

The Parker family was rather well known in the Earth Kingdom. From both Richard and Mary’s work with developing modern medicine to also being significantly better off compared to most citizens in the smaller cities, it was hard for people not to recognize the name when mentioned. 

and just looking at the fake grin on Parker’s features already makes him want to gag and just turn around and head by to his shop. 

Instead, he puts on a fake smile of his own and holds out his hand for him to shake. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Parker.” 

He watches Richard’s eyes move up and down as if he’s sizing him up before they linger on his hand for a moment before shaking it and pulling away quickly and suddenly Tony really doesn’t have it in him to fake a smile anymore. 

He hasn’t had to deal with nobles who think they are better than everyone in a long time and to be completely honest, he no longer has the patience for it. But he can’t exactly get into a fight at this very moment especially since Parker is paying as much as he is just for him to fix something as simple as a stove and he’d probably lose a lot of business if Richard opposed him. 

So, he keeps his hands to himself as he steps inside the obnoxiously large house. Tony does his best to simply grit his teeth and hold back on any unnecessary comments no matter how much he wants to say them.

 _This should only take an hour,_ he sighs to himself as they make their way to the kitchen. 

_Only an hour._

~

Peter knew Tony was in his house the second he entered the grounds. 

By now, Tony’s irregular heartbeat was imprinted on his mind. He could pick it out of any space no matter how many people surrounded him. So when he picked the familiar pulse out against the thirty or so existing in his house, his world basically came crashing down.

He lives two very separate lives and the people involved in those lives were never meant to interact. 

In his own home, the darkness doesn’t bother him; It’s all he’s ever known. He embraces it instead of pushing it away, allowing it to overcome him even when the mumbles become too much. He hears the people underestimate him but continues to put on the same show of a helpless blind kid instead of proving them wrong no later how desperate he wants to.

And sometimes faking it is better, he decides. It allows freedom in ways his parents don’t want him to ever understand.

So he plays his part.

One breath in.

One breath out. 

Again and again.

But when he is in the real world, he’s free to be himself. Free to live without being coddled and show the world what he is truly made of. 

He doesn’t count his breaths and he doesn’t force himself to play the part that his parents molded after their wants from a child. 

Instead, his lungs fill with air on their own. He feels the world around him and allows a real smile to overcome his face. 

And now that his worlds are colliding, he truly doesn’t know what to do. 

If Tony reveals his secret, then it’s all over for him. 

No more Earth Rumble. 

No more sneaking out. 

No more freedom. 

Nothing.

Just a quiet house with nothing to live for. 

Maybe Tony wouldn’t even see him. His parents were always sure to keep him away from any visitors prying eyes so maybe this would be no different. 

But he can’t afford to think like that. He can’t afford to let his guard down and simply hope there was a chance he wouldn’t see him. Not while he is making his way down the same hallway with the attendants “helping” him with every step. 

Tony wouldn’t betray him to his parents, right? 

~

As he removes the burner cap from the stove and takes off the base, Tony can’t help but allow his mind to truly linger on the thought of fire for the first time in forever. 

Fire was dangerous, destroying everything in its path. Everything the flame touches turns to ash and becomes damaged beyond repair.

But he also remembers how his mother sat him down with a single flame and explained how fire is both life and destruction. 

Fire is what keeps you warm when the months turn cold and bitter, he recalls as he removes the wires attached to the igniter. 

Fire is what provides light in the darkest of times even when one can’t see an end in sight. He replaces the faulty igniter on the stove mindlessly without drawing away from the fire overcoming his mind.

It’s what warms your food to feed you when you are hungry. 

As he reattaches the cap and the base of the burner, he reminds himself that fire is life. Not only is it life to him but also every single person in and out of the Fire Nation. 

Tony turns the knob, hearing the click as it sparks, fire catching under the grate of the oven. 

And with that, he watches as the flame flickers with every breath he takes, growing stronger with every inhale and exhale. 

It just needed a little help that’s all. 

He turns off the stove, but the fire doesn’t go with it just yet as Tony stands over it, his inner flame reaching out to the one in front of him. 

But then the kitchen door opens and the flame extinguishes the second he looks away towards— towards _Peter._

What the fuck? 

“Ah, Mr. Stark. I thought you would have left by now.” The servant beside Peter glances at him before making her way towards a cabinet. “No matter. I will only be a moment to assist Mr. Parker in getting a cup of water before his earth bending lesson. Would you like one as well?”

But her words just fluttered from one ear and out the other as he took in the kid standing in front of him. 

This wasn’t the Peter he knew. 

The kid was wearing shoes for Agni’s sake and witnessing him in the brighter greens of the Earth Kingdom was surely a shock to his eyes after seeing him in nothing but black casual wear with his forest green cloak as the only color on him. 

Peter looked bored to put it simply. His expressionless face was something he never thought he’d experience. Peter was almost always smiling about something and seeing this blank look as Peter stared directly in front of him was unsettling, to say the least. 

“Mr. Stark?” The servant asked, drawing his attention away from Peter to meet the woman’s eyes. 

Peter's mouth twitched upwards before he smoothed out his face once again. He tipped his head towards Tony, almost as if he was awaiting his answer also. 

“Uh, no thank you,” He said politely, moving his gaze back to where Peter stood near the door.

Tony watched as the women pressed the cup of water into Peter's hand in utter astonishment. Peter lifted the cup up to his mouth slowly, almost as if he was putting on a show for the woman. 

_He was blind,_ Tony realized with a jolt. Don’t get him wrong, he wasn’t oblivious enough to not be able to see the apparent eye problem due to the glazed over color but to really grasp the fact that this kid he’s known for weeks was blind was astonishing. 

Once he was done, the woman took the cup back and placed it in the sink before placing a hand on Peter’s back. She guided him towards the door with only a “We must be going now,” before exiting the room. 

“It was wonderful to meet you, Mr. Stark,” Peter said as he made his way out the door. 

“Uh, right. Yeah, nice to meet you too,” Tony muttered as he watched them exit, leaving him behind to wonder what the fuck just happened. 

He packed his stuff up and collected his money from Richard before leaving the estate as fast as he could while wondering what the hell he just got himself into. 

~

Tony wasn’t exactly sure what he would say to Peter if he decided to come into his shop today. 

Truth be told, what in the absolute hell is he supposed to say to a kid who he now realizes is completely blind. He is now well aware of the fact that Peter probably sneaks out every night because there is no way his parents allow him to leave at all after seeing how many people were hired to help Peter with a simple task. 

Not that Peter even needs help. He’s watched the way Peter moves, masking the fact that he can’t see completely with every single step. 

Which Tony wasn’t exactly sure how he was able to do that but he guesses it doesn’t really matter. 

No, what matters is the fact that Peter hid this from him for the weeks they’ve known each other. Sure he wasn’t expecting him to bear his heart and soul out in front of him but a little heads up would’ve been nice. 

But he doesn’t get to make that decision for him. Peter didn’t even get the choice to tell him he was blind. Or that he’s an earth bender but Tony’s really not focusing on that part right now. He realizes Peter never would have the chance to tell Tony himself. His secret was revealed for him in unfortunate circumstances. 

“Uh, hi?” 

Tony spins around towards the voice he has become well acquainted with. 

Peter stands in the doorway, gripping the sides of the frame as he shifts his weight back and forth. It’s evident on his face that he is ready to run at a moment's notice but Tony really hopes it doesn’t come to that.

Clearing his throat, Tony makes his way over towards the table and sits on the top of it, hoping Peter understands the invitation to come to join him. 

“Hey, Pete,” He says softly as the kid makes his way over to him. 

They sit in silence for a couple of minutes, neither of them ready to properly break it. 

“So,” Tony starts and glances at the boy sitting next to him. “Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“It just never came up.” He inhales and waits for Tony to say something. But when only silence follows, he sighs. He knows Tony’s raising an eyebrow at him as he waits for him to continue. 

“Fine. I didn’t want to tell you because you already didn’t know.” Peter pushed himself off the top of the table, laying his feet flat on the ground. “All my life, people look at me and just see some blind kid but you didn’t. Hell, you didn’t even know I was blind but to me, it didn’t really make a difference,” Peter tilts his head towards the floor.

“I’m just so tired of playing pretend. I’m so tired of acting like someone I’m not and this is the only place I can actually be myself. So yeah, I didn’t tell you.” He huffs rubbing at his eyes. 

Tony pushes out a breath before he turns to face him completely. “Kid—“ He begins before Peter cuts him off.

“—Are you mad?” Peter asked quickly, folding in on himself after he asked.

Tony wasn’t sure he’d ever seen Peter so nervous before. Not even on the first day, when he ran into his shop for whatever reason and hid behind some random shelf. 

“Nah, squirt. I get why you didn’t tell me,” Tony says, placing his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “We all have our secrets.”

And oh, how true that is. 

~

Sometimes, Tony regrets his life choices. Well, not all of them, just the ones that lead him to this very moment. 

Specifically, the decision to stay open very late every single night. Now, he only does this for Peter but it doesn’t change the fact that in this particular minute in time, it’s a very poor life choice on his part. 

He only comes to this conclusion, however, when he has to throw himself out of the way of an incoming fireball, set in him by some wannabe assassin. 

So as he lands against the hard cement of his shop floor, he is reminded once again that his life could never just be simple. 

“Is that all you got?” Tony grunts out, rolling back onto his feet. He wasn’t as quick as he used to be with the years without formal training—or even keeping up with any type of training for that matter— have finally caught up to him. 

Now he’s not exactly sure why some deranged firebender is coming after him since most people in the Fire Nation assume he’s dead, but he guesses there’s a pretty good answer in the form of a bat-shit crazy uncle. 

Can’t even come after him himself. 

Typical.

But then again, running a nation into the ground must be pretty tiring so Tony gets why he hired someone else to do his dirty work. 

So now there is some guy shooting fire at his stuff, effectively ruining someone of the wooden furniture and figurines that he worked hard on. 

“Okay, now you’re making me mad,” Tony mutters, catching the flame of fire coming towards him and redirects it back at the man. 

As his own flames rip from his hands, he relishes in the power of full fire bending that he hasn’t felt in a while. He watches as it flies through the air, scorching the man's clothes as he fails to block the whole blast. 

It’s enough to throw him out of balance for a moment. Tony moves forward, attempting to finish this fight without damaging his shop anymore, and blocks the fire-covered hand about to make contact with his face. 

The man throws another fireball, causing Tony to skid out of the way. It hits the stonewall by not only his door but a few inches away from Peter's face as he just so happens to be standing in the doorway. 

He glances at him for a moment before the earth shifts beneath them. He watches as the stone ripples solely underneath the man beside him, knocking him to the ground. 

Tony lunges to grab the charred figurine on the shelf beside him before smashing it against his temple. The man's body crumples against the floor and with that, Tony moves to put the wooden figurine back. 

“What the hell?” He turns to see Peter standing in the doorway after he momentarily forgot he was there. 

Tony slams his head into his hand and closes his eyes as all the fight just runs out of him. There is only so much bullshit he can stand in one day.

_This is just great._

~

Peter wasn’t one to complain about life and how messed up it seems to be most days. 

Well, that’s a lie, he complains a lot about his life in particular but never about how truly and utterly completely fucked life as a whole is. He tries to just take whatever’s thrown at him head-on and just deal with it. From the constant threat of the Fire Nation to blind badgermoles and underground illegal fight clubs, he did what he could to just take what he could get and hold in any criticism he had about the situation.

And he really thought he could handle it. He really thought that this was as crazy as life was going to get for him. 

That was until he entered his favorite shop in the market only to notice that Tony was not the only one in the building. Normally that wouldn’t be a problem as Peter learned to busy himself with the small trinkets lining the self until the person left. This time, however, it didn’t feel like an actual customer was here as the familiar sound of fighting filled his ears. 

And firebending. He can feel the way the heat is pulled from the room before rising once again with the flame being released. Firebending was a no go for him and he strictly tried to stay away from it but here he was, in the middle of what seemed to be a fight between two benders (which was concerning since he didn’t even think Tony was from the Fire Nation, much less a bender).

So excuse him for having a couple of things to say about the whole situation and how sincerely fucked he finds it. 

In a split second, he feels the same sensation of firebenders generating their element, and then heat brushes against his face, warming it to a level past discomfort. He jumps back, unable to tell where the actual ball of fire was going to hit and just hopes he’s far enough away to not get fucking burned. 

_Well then,_ Peter thinks before stomping his foot, causing the stone flooring to spike up, knocking the attacker off of his feet and away from Tony. 

He can almost feel Tony glance over at him for a split second before lunging for something— he can’t exactly tell what— and slamming it against the man’s temple, efficiently knocking him out.

If the situation wasn’t fucked before, then it sure was now. 

“So,” Tony pauses, turning towards the doorway where Peter stands. “You keep my secret and I keep yours?”

Peter just smiles.

( “Should we talk about what just happened?” Peter asks from where he sat cross-legged on top of the table while Tony attempts to cover the scorch marks burnt into the walls and ground. 

“If you want to ask about my firebending, then I’m not going to shy away from the earthbending skills you refused to share with the group,” Tony says.

Peter turns his head to where he thinks Tony is standing and tilts his head. 

“That’s fair.”)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i played the game of how many pages in my google doc can i make tony be so oblivious that he doesn’t see the child in front of him is blind and we got to 11 pages and that's that.
> 
> also i looked up how to fix a gas oven when it won’t light for this fic just because i had a Specific scene in mind that i wanted and then i ended up reading about stoves for an hour  
> you're welcome to come yell at me on tumblr at [ justt-ppeachy](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/justt-ppeachy) feel free to ask about this au, the atla au, or literally talk about anything as im always down to talk to anyone


	2. two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morgan didn’t enjoy the chaos and popularity that came with being the Avatar. 
> 
> The world looked to her when something went wrong, gazing down with unforgiving stares, laced with enmity. She was waiting to be picked apart for every little mistake, every toe out of line, every move she makes. 
> 
> It was too much.
> 
> It has always been too much. 
> 
> But this time, she can’t hide from the glares and judgment of the universe. Her own fear and anger must be suppressed for the better of the world. She can’t run this time and she can’t back down. Not when a hundred years passed in a blink of an eye and everything was so wrong she wasn’t sure it could ever be right.
> 
> She was expected to be great— no she was expected to be greater than the Avatars before her. But she wasn’t and no matter how hard she tried, she never would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> basically, if you haven't seen avatar, i highly recommend it and like make one or two things may not make sense since i didn’t really spend too much time explaining it but it should be fine.  
> this is up a lot earlier than expected because i kinda but not really broke my ankle and can no longer stress run so now we’re trying stress writing instead.  
> anyway, enjoy!

Morgan didn’t enjoy the chaos and popularity that came with being the Avatar. 

The world looked to her when something went wrong, gazing down with unforgiving stares, laced with enmity. She was waiting to be picked apart for every little mistake, every toe out of line, every move she makes. 

It was too much.

It has always been too much. 

But this time, she can’t hide from the glares and judgment of the universe. Her own fear and anger must be suppressed for the better of the world. She can’t run this time and she can’t back down. Not when a hundred years passed in a blink of an eye and everything was so wrong she wasn’t sure it could ever be right.

She was expected to be great— no she was expected to be greater than the Avatars before her. But she wasn’t and no matter how hard she tried, she never would be. 

The weight of the war rested on her shoulders and this time she couldn’t hide from it but at least she didn’t have to bear it alone. 

MJ and Sam were like the siblings she never wanted but loved nonetheless. They made the life and responsibilities she was thrown back into more tolerable and didn’t just allow the fate of the universe to only rest on her shoulders. They were both in it for the long run.

So, as they make their way through some Earth Kingdom town, she can’t help but be glad for their company even if their arguing is annoying her just a little bit. 

“You’re an idiot,” MJ says, rolling her eyes from where she walks ahead of both Morgan and Sam. 

Now, she’s not really sure what they are arguing about but she knows that she really doesn’t care to figure it out. Half the time, the water tribe siblings don’t even remember what they are supposed to be fighting about, so she’s realized it’s better to just not get involved.

“No, I’m not,” Sam says before crossing his arms. “You’re just wrong.” 

“And you’re just in denial of your stupidity.” 

This was not their first argument of the day and Morgan highly doubted it would be the last. 

Sam shakes his head before stopping and turning towards MJ. “Me thinking you shouldn’t have threatened those kids is not me being stupid.” 

“It got us our information, didn’t it?” Michelle says and Morgan just huffs as she is once again reminded of the disappointment that was the morning. From encounters with some phony earthbending teacher to rather vague threats from MJ towards some random bending students, the day wasn’t going very well, to say the very least. She expected too much which, according to MJ, was something she really needed to work on. 

And sure, the threats got them some information about something called an Earth Rumble and it was a looking up point but it was quickly ruined by the Water Tribe siblings constantly fighting about every little thing.

While she really needed an earthbending teacher, she wasn’t sure this was the way to go about it. The Rumble seems to be a slightly illegal fight club for the supposed best benders in the town and they really didn’t need to be involved in any more illegal activities than they already are. 

“Guys, we’re already here so there’s no point in you both constantly arguing about this,” Morgan says, throwing herself down onto the cement bleachers lining the arena in front of her. “So just sit down, be quiet, and let’s watch some earthbenders kick each other’s ass.” 

The ground trembles beneath them, grabbing their attention as a man walks out into the area with lights flashing around him. He throws his arms out, grinning at the sound of cheering from the stands. 

Earth underneath him is manipulated to raise him up, clearly not by his own doing, before he holds up his hand, efficiently silencing the stands with his single gesture. 

“Welcome all to Earth Rumble VI! I’m your host, Justin Hammer.” The man grins, spinning around to face each section of the stands. 

“This is just going to be a bunch of guys chucking rocks at each other, isn't it?” MJ sighs and looks towards the snobby looking announcer in the ring. 

“Isn’t that what most earthbending is?” Sam says, leaning back against the bleachers. 

“The rules are simple. If you knock the other guy out of the ring, you win!” Hammer grins before taking a step back and gesturing towards the two earthbenders opposite each other. “Round one is The Rhino versus The Vulture!” 

Morgan allowed herself to think for just a moment that this Earth Rumble may be one of the best places to search for a teacher, especially with some of the best earthbenders in Gaoling competing against each other. There was bound to be someone who could teach her. Someone who listened and waited. 

But as she sits in the stands and watches these benders do nothing more than truly throw rocks at each other, she’s not really sure any of these competitors really fit the criteria given to her by the Earth King. 

All of these benders seemed to listen to their muscles instead of the earth beneath them and none of them really stuck out as the type that did waiting of any sort so it looks like all these guys were a solid no-go for her. 

But that doesn’t mean she can’t enjoy the show. 

“Now, the moment you've all been waiting for,” Justin Hammer announces, turning towards the crowd in front of him. “The Vulture versus your champion, The Spider!” 

The crowds' deafening cheers filled Morgan’s ears as a kid seeming to be only slightly older than her steps into the ring. He didn’t seem to be much but she knew better than anyone to underestimate just because they didn’t look the part. Plus, he was announced as the champion so he had to be good, right?

“I’m going to crush you like the bug you are, kid,” The Vulture smirks, readying his stance.

“Well, Spiders are arachnids so try again.” The kid shifts his weight, crocheting against the floor as he rests one hand on the ground and prepares for any move The Vulture might make. He stares straight ahead and doesn’t bother to shake the hair falling into his eyes. 

Morgan leans forward, laying her elbows on her knees as she really looks at The Spider in the arena. The bright, milky eyes catch her attention even from far away as he fights with such grace and eases that an earthbender rarely possesses. He’s light on his feet up until he goes to strike. 

The realization hits her all at once and she jolts back in shock. “Is he—” She pauses, glancing at her friends beside her. “Is he blind?

Sam brow furrows. “Hm, looks like it.” 

The sound of the earth cracking pulls her attention away from his eyes. She sees The Spider’s nose scrunching in concentration as The Vulture lifts his foot, preparing to slam it down. The ground ripples beneath him, throwing him off his feet and onto the ground. Cracks spiral out from underneath The Vulture, reminding her of cobwebs and she wonders if that’s why they call him The Spider. 

Before she can focus too much on his name, the room shakes as The Vulture throws himself towards the edge of the ring, barely avoiding the earth shooting up.

He takes a step back, not realizing how close he was to the side. He slips slightly but catches himself and attempts to step off the edge. 

“Gotta be quicker than that!” The Spider grins from his stone pedestal that he’s perched on. He looks down at his opponent before flicking his hand, sending a small rock towards the man attempting to keep his balance at the corner of the stage. 

The rock hits the center of The Vultures chest and with that, he loses his fight against gravity and hits the ground outside of the ring. 

Within seconds, the people in the crowd jump to their feet as they cheer. The pedestal underneath The Spider collapses and he stands. He smiles out to the mass of people, waving as he accepts his win for the third time. 

“Your winner and third consecutive champion,” The announcer exclaims. “The Spider!” 

The crowd roars in response, a few in outrage of The Vulture being defeated but most in astonishment of the child before them. 

“I'm offering up this sack of gold pieces to anyone who can defeat—“ He motions toward the boy standing beside him. “Our champion!” 

Silence fills the stand for the first time that night. 

“What?” The man gasps dramatically, looking around the crowd. “No one dares to go against him?”

And this could be her chance. She could talk to him and maybe she could get him to agree to be her teacher. 

“Morgan, I don’t know what you're planning but don’t—“ Sam begins after seeing the look come across the Avatar's face but she’s already on her feet.

She can’t for another chance to find a teacher and she won’t leave without talking to him. Not with the hope swirling in her chest that this is the person she’s been searching for. The teacher she so desperately needs.

“I’ll do it!” She jumps up and rushes towards the stage with a smile on her face despite Sam's protests. 

If stepping into that ring is what it takes to get to The Spider then so be it. 

Morgan won’t back down and she had no plans on taking no for an answer.

~

Things happened too quickly for Morgan’s liking. She wasn’t exactly trying to knock The Spider out of the ring, it just happened.

And now he’s leaving, taking all of her hopes and dreams with him as her chance at a teacher who waits and listens to the earth walks out the door.

All she really wanted was to talk to him. That’s it. 

Maybe she really should start listening to Sam. 

_Nah,_ she thought, racing after the former champion speeding ahead of her. 

“You know, if you really wanted to talk to me, then knocking me out of the ring wasn’t the way to go about it,” He says, stomping his foot to create a hole in the wall before stepping through it. 

“Wait!” She calls out and there was no way she was going to let him get away that easily. Panic propels her towards the boy not much older than her as she throws herself at him before he could put the rock back up. 

He steps out of the way but catches her so she doesn’t hit the ground. He pushes her back to her feet as the ground beneath her ripples gently, moving back inside the room. 

The boy turns and with that, the wall closes behind him and there goes her chances of getting him to be her teacher. 

She leans her forehead against the wall and closes her eyes just for a moment.

_That could have gone so much better._

~

“You’re telling me,” Hammer pauses stepping towards the man in front of him. “You allowed two snot-nosed brats to cheat me out of my money?”

The Rhino stepped back, not wanting to be caught up in the rage of the man in front of him. “I'm just saying that I saw the kid strike, but there was no earthbending. Nothing made contact. The Spider just fell out of the ring. He must've took a dive and split the money with the kid.”

Hammer forced himself to take a deep breath, reaching up to fix his hair as he composed himself before turning back to the incompetent benders before him. 

“If you don’t find me those kids in the next ten seconds, then you’re going to be the one paying their debt and I don’t just mean money,” Hammer growled as he stalked over to the group of earthbenders.

He met The Vulture eyes and tilted his head as he observed the only competent one in the whole group. “Do I make myself clear ?” 

The Vulture grins. “Crystal.”

~

“I have to find him,” Morgan says, gazing up at the building in front of her with all the hatred she can put into one stare.

The last place she wanted to be was the stupid earthbending academy with its phony teacher but here she was, searching for someone who didn’t even want to talk to her. 

But she knew he was meant to be her teacher ever since she saw him. Morgan knows he’s the kids she saw in the spiritual swamp they stumbled upon a few weeks ago. The spirits sent her a sign and there was no way she was going to ignore it. 

“That can be arranged,” MJ says, starring towards two boys— the boys MJ originally threatened to get the information about the Earth Rumble. 

“Hey, losers,” MJ called out stepping towards the kids. “Here’s the deal. I’m going to ask a question and you’re going to answer it or else there’s going to be a repeat of last time.” 

Morgan frowns at MJ’s threat and wonders what exactly she did to these kids when they were searching for the Earth Rumble. 

“The Spider,” She says, glaring from one kid to the other. “Where is he?”

“No one knows. He’s basically a mystery,” One of them said, glancing nervously at MJ. 

She can’t blame him for looking terrified. MJ was pretty scary. 

“You’re not telling me everything.” 

“No, no, I swear it's true. No one knows where he goes, or who he really is.” The other one stumbled away from her, desperate to not go through whatever happened last time again. 

Morgan steps forward. “That's because we're asking about the wrong person.” She turns towards MJ and Sam. “When we were in the swamp, I saw a boy walking around wearing some type of fancy clothing with a pet spider in his hand.” 

“Well, there's Parker family’s symbol is a spider and they do have a kid. Names Peter, I think.” The two kids look at each other before returning their gaze back to Morgan. “But that has to be a coincidence. There’s no way he’s The Spider. From what I’ve heard, not only is he blind, but his parents barely even let him outside, much less to an underground fight club.” 

“Might as well check it out.” She says, turning towards the water tribe siblings besides her. 

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Sam attempted to be the reasonable one of the group. He tried so hard for them to just do the reckless thing anyways. 

“Do you have a better one?” 

“Fair enough,” MJ says with a shrug and see, this is exactly why Morgan liked MJ so much. She was a go with the flow type of person which gave her a sense of normalcy that she longs for from the air temples. 

“Even if this is the kid, are you sure he’s going to want to talk to you?” Sam asked. “You knocked him out of the ring and stole his title despite not being an earthbender. I sure as hell wouldn’t want to talk to you if I were him.” 

Morgan sighs, pivoting on her heels to face them.“I’m not giving up.” She glances between the siblings. “If you don’t want to go with me, then that’s fine but I’m going.” 

She turns to leave but not before hearing Sam and MJ fall into step beside her as she makes her way towards the Parker Residents. 

~

“Morgan, this is trespassing,” Peter hears someone say and while he was well aware there was someone in his garden before he stepped outside, he wasn’t exactly sure if they were trespassers or new hires. 

Trespassers it is.

Slipping out through the kitchen door, he investigates for himself. It only becomes clear to him who exactly the intruders are when his feet touch the grass and he’s in too deep to turn back now.

He wasn’t necessarily mad about his loss to the airbender at the Rumble. It was fear that kept him away from her as the thoughts of what becoming her teacher would entail. The thought of leaving the only place he ever knew with the Fire Nation's number one target terrified him.

“It really is you.” The one he assumes to be Morgan says. 

He stiffens, not because he didn’t expect it but because she was so willing to throw it out into the open as if it wasn’t one of his biggest secrets. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” He says 

“You can drop the act,” The scary one said. “We know you’re The Spider.” 

Peter just sighs. “How’d you even find me?” 

He can hear the scary one open her mouth before Morgan jumps in. “That’s not important. What’s important is that I need an earthbending teacher and I think it’s supposed to be you,” She says, taking a step closer to him. 

Peter shakes his head. “How could you be so sure?” 

“I just know. You’re exactly who I’m looking for so please hear me out,” She pleads,

“Look, I’d love to help you but if you can’t tell, I’m not exactly free to do as I please. If I were to leave, my parents would not only murder me, but they’d probably murder you too,” Peter says with a nonchalant shrug, turning away from the rag-tag group in front of him. 

“Well they might not murder you themselves but they’d certainly hire someone to do it for them,” 

“Peter,” Morgan says. “I was told I need an earthbender who listens to the earth and waits and that’s exactly what you did in the ring.” 

“How’d you even find me?” He asked, crossing his arms. 

“Some people will tell you anything if you threaten them enough,” Scary one says with a shrug. She wore her nickname well. 

“Anyways,” Morgan interrupts loudly. “You’re meant to teach me earthbending. I just know it. Please” 

It really wasn’t that he didn’t want to help. He used to want nothing more than to leave this place behind and if helping the Avatar would make that happen, then he’d do it in a heartbeat. But in the last couple of months, things changed. Things were no longer simply black and white. Getting out from under his parent’s thumb is one thing but he really didn’t have it in him to leave Tony behind. 

But the girl in front of him seemed desperate. The way her voice quivered just slightly and her pulse beats rapidly as it raced through her body made him want to say yes but he just couldn’t. So he took a step back, forcing some distance between him and the group as if distance would make him feel better for saying no. 

“Get out of here,” He says softly. “Before I call the guards.” 

And with that, he turns and leaves them behind. 

~

They came back. 

Of course, they came back. 

Peter is so close to just burying them neck-deep in rock and just leaving cause he’s not sure how much longer he can take it. Every single time he steps outside without any supervision, there’s the Avatar. Whether she’s alone or with her little water tribe friends, she’s always outside the wall surrounding his home, ready to strike at any time. 

_Can’t just give up now can she._

He huffs as he sneaks out his window, hoping for just one single day where he can leave without being bombarded. 

Peter wonders if she plans to annoy him into helping her. It’s honestly very close to working with her constant pleas but he wasn’t sure he could actually give into them. 

Yes, this was a chance to leave the life he despises but he really does love his parents, and leaving them behind to help the Avatar would hurt them. But they were never the thing to keep him home. If the Avatar had returned just a few months earlier and made her way to his town, Peter wouldn’t have a second thought as he jumped at the chance to leave. But things were different now.

He knows Tony cares about him no matter how many times he denies it. He hears the irregular pulse speed up as his blood pressure rises slightly at even the thought of saying he cared about anything out loud. But he doesn’t need to hear it to know. 

Peter sees how much he cares in the way Tony tries to not allow him to pay for the sweets he takes. How he mentioned how much he reminds him of his brother before changing the subject before Peter could respond. It shines through in how he listens so intently to his rant after a long day of pretending. It’s not something he can leave behind. 

So he stays in the quiet town of Gaoling where he drowns in the silence daily. Where he could never get away from no matter how hard he tries.

But, nows his chance. 

And he can’t take it. 

~

The door to Tony's shop flies open and slams against the wall. Peter feels a little bad about this since he knows there’s already a dent but he figures that's a problem for another day. 

“Parker, I swear—“

“The Avatar wants me to teach her how to earthbend. She saw me fight at the earth rumble and now she won’t leave me alone,” Peter groans, throwing himself onto the bench across from Tony. He lays his head on his arms and sighs ever so dramatically.

Tony’s head shoots up from where he sat folded in on himself as he fixated on the thing—what it was supposed to be Peter couldn’t really tell— and dedicated all his time and energy into fixing it. 

“The Avatar—“ Tony pauses. “Wait, she saw you at the what?” 

And oh. Peter forgot he didn’t really know about the Earth Rumbles. He knew was going to be something Tony doesn’t really approve of though. In the couple of months they’ve known each other, Peters learned that Tony really doesn’t like it when he puts himself into dangerous situations. He remembers the last time he body-slammed a mugger outside the shop, he got an earful after Tony caught up to him and words were said that Peter’s not sure he will ever be able to repeat. 

“That’s— that’s not what’s important right now.” Peter sniffles and turns his head to the other side. “What’s important is that she’s basically stalking me and she keeps coming to my house to bother me. And if my parents find out anything about this whole situation, I'm completely and utterly screwed.”

“So hypothetically,” Tony begins before turning his attention back to the thing he was working on. “What would happen if you, I don’t know, talked to your parents?” 

Peter sat up before placing his feet flat on the floor. He turns his body towards Tony. “I tried to talk to them before but they just shut me down and continue to treat me like I would get hurt if I stepped outside. They’ll never be able to see past the obedient, helpless son they tried to raise.” 

Tony nods and frowns in sympathy. “What’s stopping you from leaving with the Avatar then? I know your dream is to leave this town and never look back so really, what’s stopping you?” 

Peter looks down as he feels his face heat up ever so slightly as he thinks of the real reason he doesn’t want to leave and it has nothing to do with his parents.

And then with one open door answering is no longer a problem and instead, it’s occupants entering the shops that become his main priority as three people he’s unfortunately familiar with step in. 

~

“Oh, you gotta be kidding me!” Peter says and Tony jolts away from the clock he was fixing, dropping it against the wood of the table they were sitting at as his attention is brought to the three people standing near the front of his door.

“In our defense, we didn’t know you were here,” One of the girls said. He presumes both her and the person beside her were Water Tribe— Northern specifically— based on the blues of their clothes. 

“Why—“ Peter begins, jumping to his feet. 

“My waterskin is breaking,” She interrupts, hands resting on the one by her side. “It’s starting to come apart and someone told me he could fix it so here I am.” 

“Why don’t you introduce me to your friends, Pete,” Tony says, mirth lacing his voice as he watches Peter in distress. 

Peter scoffs while he turns to glare at him. “Definitely not my friends.” 

“Trying to be though,” The Avatar says with a grin, turning towards Tony. “I’m Morgan and this is Michelle and Sam.”

Tony looks over at the three standing near the door of the shop. He takes in the blue arrow tattooed in between her big eyes as Morgan stares up at him with child-like wonder. Tony knows what the arrow means and it’s a wonder that her eyes still sparkle with move she makes. 

“The Avatar, right?” He asked, pointing at Morgan. 

“How’d you know?” She asked. She steps toward the exit, mapping a quick escape in case things go wrong.

“This one hasn’t stopped complaining about you since you threw him out of the ring about five days ago.” He threw a smile at Peter who just stuck his tongue out at him like the child he is. “Plus the blue arrow on your forehead is a pretty good indicator.” 

Her face turns bright red. “I’m still sorry about throwing you out of the ring,” She says to Peter, looking down as she allows her hair to cover her face. “I just wanted to talk. I still want to talk.” 

Tony frowns at Peter as he was never one to stray away from offering a second chance or even simply just talking to someone no matter the topic. 

“But we’re not going to bother you. Right, Morgan?” Sam asks with a pointed stare and Morgan deflates completely. 

“Right,” She grumbles and crosses her arms. She pouts and Tony is once again reminded that the supposed savior was still just an eleven-year-old girl, forced to bear the weight of the world on her tiny shoulders. 

It was unsettling, to say the least, to realize that humanity expected this child to fix everything wrong between the four nations. All the horrors of the war belonged to her the second she entered the new century. People looked past the girl who clearly needed guidance in favor of only seeing the power she is supposed to wield in order to defeat the Fire Lord. It’s all on her shoulders. 

“Want me to take a look at your water skin?” He asked, reaching out a hand to take it. 

A wave of hesitation flows over Michelle’s face as she slowly unhooks it from her waist. She places it in his hand before glancing at what he assumes is her brother before taking her place beside him.

He turns the waterskin over in his hand, noting what needs to be fixed before meeting her eyes once again. 

“It should only be about twenty minutes,” He tells Michelle. 

Tony heads to his backroom, reluctant to leave Peter alone with the Avatar and her companions. 

Before entering the room, he looks down at the cracks in the floor caused by his favorite teen and hopes there are no more added to his collection when he gets back.

~

The trio that puts Peter so on edge exits the shop with haste he’s never seen in customers before. Considering the circumstances, he can’t say he didn’t expect it.

In their place comes silence and tension as it fills the air between them, sucking the light-hearted energy that made its home between the two of them out of the shop. 

A moment of hesitation passes as he searches for something else to look at but it always comes back to Peter. 

The look on Peter's face is one of the blank ones he uses to hide every emotion that he never thought he’d see in his own shop. It was weird to see the expression making its home on his face and he’d do almost anything to make it disappear once again. 

Except, the silence is one that neither of them is willing to break. 

Peter blinks and opens his mouth before closing it once again. “You’re doing that thing again.” 

“What thing?” Tony snorts, turning towards the teenager sitting on his table. 

“That thing where you stare at me until I get annoyed and start talking things through and not ignoring all my problems.” 

Tony pauses and tilts his head. He didn’t really think he was doing much of anything.

“Is it working?” 

Peter throws his hands up. “Kind of, yeah!”

“Then my job here is done.” He says, pulling his attention back to the clock he left on the table what seemed to be hours ago but was only about thirty minutes. 

The thing he’s learned about Peter is that he can’t force him to open up or else the gates will be closed and locked. And when he does open up, Tony can’t focus solely on him or else Peter will be mindful about what he says and attempt to change the subject with a moment's notice. 

So, he lets the silence do its job until Peter rambles and doesn’t stop until the weight sitting on his cheats, crushing his lungs, disintegrates. 

It’s quite an effective method when Peter doesn’t catch on and calls him on his bullshit. 

“Tony.” Peter groans out. 

“Look, kid, I can’t tell you what to do here.” Tony sighs. “This is all up to you. But you have to remember that the Avatar picked you for a reason. Whether it be some spirit shit or actual logic, she wants you as her teacher.” 

He allows the silence to brew between them, waiting for any indication that the kid was actually going to talk this one out instead of bottling it up. 

But it’s not the case this time. So all Tony can do is wait for the bottle to explode and just hope the glass doesn’t cut anything major. 

He turns toward Peter, hoping to escape from the harsh quietness festering in his shop. “So what’s this Earth Rumble and what do you have to do with it?” 

Peter just groans, dropping his head onto his arms. 

~

“Fine,” Peter says, sitting down next to her, cross-legged, so he can focus solely on Morgan. “I’ll hear you out. Why should I be your earthbending teacher?” 

He feels weird not having his feet on the ground, but he supposes that actually focusing on Morgan’s words is more important than feeling the nature around them. Peter rests his fingertips against the grass, pulling the blades between his thumb and pointer finger. 

Peter can still sense the stand-still things in his proximity, leaving him to feel just as blind as he was when he first started earthbending, but it doesn’t necessarily feel like such a bad thing. He allows Morgan to be the eyes of the two of them and reflexes in the outdoors. 

He breathes in the fresh air, refusing to read into this newfound trust he has in the Avatar. Instead, he places his full attention on the eleven-year-old girl beside him. 

Peter smiles. 

It doesn’t stay on his face for long.

~

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” 

Morgan’s speech comes to a halt as she sees Peter jump out of the corner of her eyes. Both of them were caught off guard and as the dread pools in the pit of her stomach, she realizes this is in no way a friendly visit. 

She turns, already pushing herself to her feet. She recognizes the snobby man in front of her from the Earth Rumble. 

“Hm, I know. Here are the two kids who cheated me out of my money.” He steps closer to them, baring his teeth. 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean, Hammer?” Peter asked and his eyes narrow. 

She glanced back at him, watching him shift into an earthbending stance, preparing to fight their way out of this. 

“Grab ‘em,” Hammer says toward the people beside him— other Rumble contestants she realizes. 

“I’m sorry, but haven’t I beaten all of you at one point or another?” Peter asked. 

“Maybe so,” Hammer smirks as he takes a step back, clearly staying out of this fight. “But I don’t think you could possibly take all of them at once.” 

“Are you sure about that?” Peter asked as the people Hammer brought surrounded him. She watches his brow furrow as he does his voodoo-magic shit or whatever it is that he’s able to map the world out in his mind with only seconds to spare.

Once they get out of this one, she is so going to make him teach her how to do that. 

Morgan goes to shift her weight on her toes, preparing for the fight that’s about to break out when she feels the ground tremble beneath her, moving under the command of another. 

Dirt and rock encase her feet, solidifying within seconds and she is cemented to the ground with no way out because she’s not an earthbender yet.

She glances back at Peter in her panic and while she knows Peter can handle himself, she can’t leave him to fight alone all because she’s trapped once again in an element she’s meant to be able to control. 

Morgan calls a gust of wind to attempt to remove the earth shackling her in the quickest way possible. 

In the end, however, she’s too slow. 

She hears the rock moving through the air before she sees it as her head shoots up, searching for where it’s heading. Her blood turns cold. Peter was so preoccupied with the four benders in front of him that he wasn’t able to focus on the one behind him and his movements. 

Morgan watches in horror as a levitating rock the size of her head rushes toward him with no sign of slowing or changing directions as it travels towards his head. 

“Peter!” She yells, too slow to do anything more than watch as it connects with its target. He crumbles to the ground, a cry escaping from his lips. 

_Too slow, too slow, too slow._

Spirts, this was a nightmare. All Morgan wanted was an earthbending teacher. That’s it. That’s all she wanted. And now the person she was so close to convincing to be her teacher was hurt on the ground, probably with a concussion as his hands were cuffed with metal. Hammer towers over Peter as he turns on his side, eyes closed presumably from the pain as blood drips down his face. 

“Yeah, kid. I’m sure.” Hammer grins. 

Morgan watches helplessly as they pull Peter to his feet. He closes his eyes as he stumbles forward and with each step towards the metal cage, dread fills her stomach.

Morgan needed to be better and she thought she was by this point. No longer running away from her problems, she faced them head-on and thought she grew with every step she took. 

She thought she was better 

But she wasn’t. 

And look where it got them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i hate this chapter so fucking much but here it is and i’m sorry  
> i’d like to thank the avatar wikipedia for my very limited knowledge on water skins  
> also, i’d like to add that if peter wasn’t worried about morgan and had some of his focus on her, then he would have won that fight. and if he didn’t get a head injury especially since he doesn’t have his extreme healing in this. 
> 
> anyways, leave a comment and/or kudos if you enjoy cause i sure as hell didn’t :)
> 
> you're welcome to come yell at me on tumblr at [ justt-ppeachy](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/justt-ppeachy) feel free to ask about this au, the atla au, or literally talk about anything as im always down to talk to anyone


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